10/9/25 : This and That

Never say Never :

Since the beginning of September most every article I’ve written has included “The Phillies are going to be the 2025 World Series Champions.”  After losing the first two games against the Dodgers in the NLDS a friend asked me if that was still the belief - my response was “I will continue to believe till the last recorded out exhausts the possibility.”  Last night the fellas “trusted harder” and got a dub. The pressure of the playoffs is high and the outward calm of the skipper along with the veteran presence of the team’s core are assets that hopefully continue to propel them along the championship path.

Dismissing the talent and moxie of the opposition is a biased ignorance and only placing fault on the team you “support” is talk and post game show type negative fodder, it’s mind boggling to me when folks choose to blame their own team for losses rather than acknowledging the opposition’s play. The Phillies are a very good baseball team but so are the Dodgers - whomever wins this series will have done just that - won it on their own merits and efforts, that’s usually the case. “Trust harder” doesn’t just apply to the team itself - just sayin.

Fall/Winter Leagues :

The Arizona Fall League has begun play. The Phillies contingent (pitchers Jack Dallas, Jaydenn Estanista, Eiberson Castellano, Tommy McCollum, Daniel Harper, Infielder Bryan Rincon, Infield/Outfielder Dylan Campbell, Outfielder Dante Nori and Pitching Coach Ryan McCauley) are members of the Surprise Saguaros team. Rincon and Campbell replaced Aidan Miller and Carson DeMartini who were originally named to the squad.

Arizona Fall League (10/8 - 10/9)

Dante Nori went 1 for 2 with a single and played center field in game one of the season on 10/8 (9-6 win).  On 10/9 Dylan Campbell went 2 for 4 (double and home run) with a walk, RBI and run scored.  He played second base in a 11-10 ten inning win. RHP Jaydenn Estanista pitched 2/3 of an inning (2 R, 3 H, 1 K) and RHP Tommy McCollum posted a win by pitching the tenth inning (2 R - 1 earned, 1 H, 1 BB).

Start dates for the Winter Leagues are as follows :

Mexican : 10/14 - former Phillie Darick Hall and LHP Erubiel Armenta are on pre-season rosters.

Dominican : 10/15 - Felix Reyes and Raylin Heredia are on pre-season rosters.

Venezuelan : 10/15 - RHP Luis Avila and LHP Juan Amarante are on pre-season rosters.

Colombian : End of October

Puerto Rican : 11/6

Australian : 11/13 - the Phillies will send three pitchers, two infielders, two outfielders and a catcher to the Adelaide Giants who are managed by LHV Bench Coach Chris “Tank” Adamson. Some assignments will be staggered till after the season starts.

Panamanian : November

Nicaraguan : November

Independent League Review :

A quick look at the five major Independent Leagues this past season.

Mexican League : 20 teams

League Champion : Diablos Rojas del Mexico

League Average Age - Position Players : 30.8

League Average Age - Pitchers : 30.5

Atlantic League : 10 teams

League Champion : York Revolution

League Average Age - Position Players : 27.4

League Average Age - Pitchers : 27.9

Former Phillies with standout seasons :

INF Nick Ward - Lancaster - 105 games - .329/.407/.552 - .959 OPS - 491 PA’s - 233 TB - 32 doubles, 20 HR, 84 RBIs, 20 SB

INF Dalton Guthrie - Gastonia - 104 games - .325/.375/.550 - .924 OPS - 476 PA’s - 232 TB - 31 doubles, 18 HR, 88 RBIs, 20 SB

INF Jamari Baylor - Southern Maryland - 98 games - .303/.421/.552 - .973 OPS - 182 TB - 19 doubles, 21 HR, 77 RBIs, 19 SB

OF Ben Aklinski - High Point - 118 games - .283/.390/.574 - .964 OPS - 257 TB - 28 doubles, 32 HR, 96 RBIs, 31 SB

RHP Carlo Reyes - Hagerstown - 22 appearances - 2.96 ERA - 24.1 IP - 0.945 WHIP -

RHP Noah Skirrow - Lancaster - 25 starts - 137.2 IP - 15 W, 3 L - 3.99 ERA - 143 K’s, 47 BB

American Association : 12 teams

League Champion : Kane County Cougars

League Average Age - Position Players : 26.9

League Average Age - Pitchers : 26.9

Former Phillies with standout seasons :

1B/DH Kyle Martin - Winnipeg - 96 games - .279/.368/.593 - .961 OPS - 410 PA’s - 208 TB - 21 doubles, 29 HR, 90 RBIs

RHP Konnor Ash - Kane County - 19 starts - 124 IP, 10 W, 3 L - 2.76 ERA - 0.944 WHIP - 132 K’s, 30 BB

RHP Julian Garcia - Kansas City - 19 starts - 111.2 IP, 9 W, 2 L - 3.39 ERA - 1.066 WHIP - 163 K’s, 32 BB

Frontier League : 18 teams

League Champion : Quebec Capitales

League Average Age - Position Players : 25.3

League Average Age - Pitchers : 25.4

Former Phillies with standout seasons :

INF DJ Stewart - Gateway - 92 games - .305/.380/.513 - .893 OPS - 410 PA’s - 183 TB - 18 doubles, 18 HR, 80 RBIs

Pioneer League : 12 teams

League Champion : Oakland Ballers

League Average Age - Position Players : 24.4

League Average Age - Pitchers : 24.2

Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️

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